Training and guidance for the future

This week was another busy one with 13 post-KCSE students from both Friends of Dagoretti Children and Karen Street Children's Trust coming to Mahali Pa Watoto School for some in-house training to 'make the most of themselves' in the years to come.

As in previous years, there was a great deal of laughter in the mix - with great emphasis placed on role playing and presenting. This not only breaks the ice, but ensures the students really enjoy the course - stretching some 'comfort zones' in the process, but we think Daniel recovered fairly quickly after playing a pregnant lady trying to get on to a packed matatu! Francis, too, must be commended on his fabulous portrayal of a grandmother!

We covered the usual material - making the right impression; the importance of style and good grammar; text messaging and emails; letter writing and how to write a good cv; time management; good etiquette; financial planning and the appropriate use of social media. This year, we also added an extra section on 'contemporary problems and dangers', to what, previously, has been more a course on good communication skills.

I have to say, it is a sobering thought to think that these students whom we have seen grow up into such fabulous young adults, could now be faced with the threat of radicalisation and crime. But the area that many of them come from, Dagoretti, is not a 'stranger' to such ominous forces and this is the second time, in a very short space of time, that we have counselled the students on being aware of, and resistant to, possible approaches. 

Our students are incredibly fortunate in that they are part of a family and their well-being is a priority for both FDC and KSCT. They are not alone in the process and we will now be guiding them onto the next stage of their education - university/college or vocational courses. That they will 'make the most of themselves' is a given and we look forward to following and supporting them, onwards and upwards!

Louise Roest

Daniel, Catherine and Francis

Anthony and Joyce

Alfred

Catherine and Faith

 

Catherine

Chilling between sessions

Christine making an appointment by phone

Christine

Daniel role-playing

Faith and the others look and learn

Faith, Mercy and Daniel

Rosemary and Alfred

Class scenes follow:

Congratulations to our KCSE Students of 2015

We would like to congratulate our nine 2015 KCSE students on achieving a very respectable set of grades over the last week. 

Particular mention must go to Francis Kioi who received an A- grade, narrowly missing an A plain grade by only two marks! 

Francis is pictured here receiving an FDC academic prize in December 2015

These students are now all fulfilling their compulsory period of voluntary service and working at either the Kenya Red Cross, Mahali pa Watoto Kindergarten or Waithaka Special Needs School until university/college courses are allocated and decisions made on their next career path.

Next week they will be undertaking a three day in-house training course, with their peers from Karen Street Children's Trust, and will be covering a wide range of topics from good presentation skills, the preparation of CVs and application letters; to time management, the appropriate use of social media and an awareness of certain challenges (including the danger of radicalisation) that will face them as they leave school and move on up to tertiary education and more independent living. 

Returning to the KCSE results, it is a great shame that this year's results have been characterised by controversy and we are pleased to report that none of our students have been affected. 

A headline in today's Daily Nation (Saturday 12th March) reads:

"Govt will act on historic exam cheating, Education CS Matiang'i says". 

An extract from the article follows:

Education Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i has said the government will finally act on the historic cheating that eclipsed the recently released Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.

He said the exams, which recorded the highest rise in the number of cheating cases in history, have revealed serious systemic loopholes that need to be dealt with immediately.

“We cannot subject our children to such recklessness,” he said during the closing ceremony of an education conference for Catholic private educational institutions, head teachers and directors at Catholic University of Eastern Africa.

Last year’s KCSE examinations recorded a 70 per cent rise in cases of cheating from the previous year, with results of 5,101 students being cancelled as a result.

The CS had stated that all those involved in leaking the examinations will be brought to account but had been vague about how this will happen.

He has now set March 30 as the day the government will reveal the actions being taken to ensure this year will not be a repeat of the last.

New Funky Fruit and Veg Notelets

Our immense thanks to Laura Cuthbert for her funky fruit and veg designs for our latest range of notelets. These will be selling at Ksh 500 for a pack of four and are blank inside for your own message! Find them at Karen Provision Stores or the Karen Country Club shop. Alternatively, please do contact a committee member.

FDC's very own Super Tuesday - Trumps and No Trumps

Many thanks indeed to our merry band of 36 Bridge players who gathered last Tuesday for an afternoon of tense (and sometimes tentative) bidding, fierce play and top scores, The afternoon was punctuated by some delicious cakes and sandwiches and a lively raffle, all washed down with a cup of tea and/or a glass of wine! A great deal of fun was had by all and we are pleased to announce that we raised a fabulous Ksh 130,500. Our thanks go to the players, particularly those who braved the traffic from the other side of town, and to all those who donated raffle prizes and roses and, last but not least, to our MC - Jackie. 

Charlie, Wendy, Louise and Linda - FDC fundraisers and dedicated sandwich makers!